The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to medical imaging systems, and more particularly to Nuclear Medicine (NM) imaging systems which can be Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging systems.
In NM imaging, such as SPECT imaging, radiopharmaceuticals are administered internally to a patient. Detectors (e.g., gamma cameras), typically installed on a gantry, capture the radiation emitted by the radiopharmaceuticals and this information is used to form images. The NM images primarily show physiological function of, for example, the patient or a portion of the patient being imaged.
Conventional SPECT imaging systems include one or two gamma cameras mounted to a single gantry. These gamma cameras do not extend or retract. These gamma cameras do not independently pivot. The gamma cameras are formed from particular materials. In the selection of material, tradeoffs must be made, such as imaging sensitivity, size, cost, etc. Additionally, specific collimation may be provided, which typically limits the application of the scanner to a particular type of scan, such as whole body bone exams, cardiac exams, among other types of scans.
There is a need for gantry systems to be compact to provide a positive patient experience. There is a need for gantry systems to support various imaging configurations to provide flexibility, speed, and cost savings.